[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 240 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 240

Expressing support for the designation of July 30, 2019, as ``National 
                   Whistleblower Appreciation Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 14, 2019

 Ms. Speier (for herself, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Meadows, Miss Rice of New 
 York, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Titus) submitted the following resolution; 
      which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the designation of July 30, 2019, as ``National 
                   Whistleblower Appreciation Day''.

Whereas, in 1777, before the passage of the Bill of Rights, 10 sailors and 
        marines blew the whistle on misconduct that was harmful to the United 
        States;
Whereas the Continental Congress unanimously supported the whistleblowers in 
        words and deeds, including by releasing Government records and 
        authorizing payment for legal expenses incurred by the whistleblowers 
        incurred in defending against a retaliatory criminal libel lawsuit 
        brought against them;
Whereas, on July 30, 1778, in demonstration of their full support for 
        whistleblowers, the Members of the Continental Congress unanimously 
        enacted the first whistleblower legislation in the United States that 
        read: ``Resolved, That it is the duty of all persons in the service of 
        the United States, as well as all other the inhabitants thereof, to give 
        the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any 
        misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons 
        in the service of these states, which may come to their knowledge'';
Whereas whistleblowers risk their careers, jobs, and reputations by reporting 
        waste, fraud, and abuse to the proper authorities;
Whereas in providing the proper authorities with lawful disclosures, 
        whistleblowers save the taxpayers of the United States billions of 
        dollars each year and serve the public interest by ensuring that the 
        United States remains an ethical and safe place; and
Whereas it is the public policy of the United States to encourage, in accordance 
        with Federal law (including the Constitution of the United States, 
        rules, and regulations) and consistent with the protection of classified 
        information (including sources and methods of detection of classified 
        information), honest and good faith reporting of misconduct, fraud, 
        misdemeanors, and other crimes to the appropriate authority at the 
        earliest time possible: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House--
            (1) designates ``National Whistleblower Appreciation Day''; 
        and
            (2) ensures that the Federal Government implements the 
        intent of the Founding Fathers, as reflected in the legislation 
        enacted on July 30, 1778, by encouraging each executive agency 
        to recognize National Whistleblower Appreciation Day by--
                    (A) informing employees, contractors working on 
                behalf of United States taxpayers, and members of the 
                public about the legal right of a United States citizen 
                to ``blow the whistle'' to the appropriate authority by 
                honest and good faith reporting of misconduct, fraud, 
                misdemeanors, or other crimes; and
                    (B) acknowledging the contributions of 
                whistleblowers to combating waste, fraud, abuse, and 
                violations of laws and regulations of the United 
                States.
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